A guide to Kia cars in Australia

Kia manufacture’s some of the most popular and highly-regarded vehicles on Australia roads. Kia’s are practical, comfortable, and most importantly, safe. So should you choose Kia for your next car? In this article, Canstar Blue walks you through Kia Australia’s range of vehicles. We look at what’s on offer, key features and expected prices.

The Kia Range in Australia

Kia Picanto

Kia Rio

Kia Cerato (Hatch & Sedan)

Kia Soul

Kia Optima

Kia Sportage

Kia Sorento

Kea Rondo

Kia Carnival

Kia Stinger

Kia Picanto

Kia Picanto is one of the most recent additions to the Kia family and, according to Kia, already holds the title of ‘Australia’s bestselling micro car’. The Kia Picanto’s nimble size and manoeuvrability makes it an ideal car for city and suburban driving. The Picanto was designed to have a bold look and sporty feel without compromising on practicality. The latest Picanto has been redesigned to offer more space and comes with all the features we’ve come to expect from a modern vehicle.

The Kia Picanto has a 1.25L petrol engine and comes with either manual or automatic transmission.

Kia Picanto key features

62kW Petrol Engine (4-cylinder)

Apply CarPlay

Android Auto

7 Inch centre console touchscreen

Bluetooth Connectivity

Cruise control

Autonomous Emergency Breaking with Forward Collision Warning System

Rear parking sensor and camera

Kia Picanto price

The starting price for a brand new Kia Picanto is around $15,500. That includes a 7 year unlimited kilometre warranty.

Kia Rio

Famous for fun, the Kia Rio is perhaps the manufacturer’s best known car. Kia says the Rio has a sharp exteRIOr , lush inteRIOr and comes with Australia’s most supeRIOr 7 year KM warranty. But don’t let the awful puns turn you off, the Kia Rio is great for zipping around town and is class-leading in many respects. The Kia Rio comes with an efficient 1.4L MPI petrol engine and is available in either 4-speed auto or 6-speed manual.

There are three models of Kia Rio: S, Si and SLi. The Kio Rio S is the standard model and comes with the just the basics. The Si steps it up a little bit, while the SLi is top of the range.

Kia Rio key features

Rio S

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

7 Inch centre touchscreen

Rear view camera

Daytime running lights

Aero blade wipers

Rio Si

Everything in the Rio S and/or:

15” Alloy wheels

Satellite navigation with traffic information

DAB+ digital radio

Cruise control with steering wheel mounted controls

Premium steering wheel and gear shifter

Projector front fog lights

Rio SLi

Everything in the Si and/or:

16” Alloy wheels

Electric Sunroof

Electrochromatic rear view mirror (auto dimming)

Rain sensing front wipers

Premium interior trim and seats

Climate control air-conditioning

Allow sports pedals

Kia Rio price

As you can probably guess, the Kia Rio S is the cheapest model with prices generally starting as low as $17,500 for the Automatic transmission version. The manual model costs about $3,000 more. The Kia Rio Si starts around $25,000, while the Rio SLi comes out a little under $27,000.

Kia Cerato (Hatch & Sedan)

The Kia Cerato comes in both hatch and sedan models and received the 2016 award for Australia’s Best Small Car under $35,000. A closer look at the Kia Cerato and you will see this praise is very well deserved. The Cerato boasts a slew of features, a choice of transmission type and Kia’s famous 7 year unlimited kilometre warranty.

The Cerato’s design seems to be this vehicles major selling point, with a sharpened tiger-nose grille and sleek, swept back headlights. It is also well-proportioned with striking lines to make the car stand out. Some models also have HID headlight with daytime running lights, LED rear taillights and a ‘Smart Welcome’ lighting system.

There are six models of Kia Cerato sedan and Hatch: S, S with AV, Sport, Sport+, Si and SLi. The S model is rather ordinary, while each subsequent model includes a few more features. The SLi once again tops off the Kia Cerato range.

Kia Cerato key features

Cerato S

Front & Reverse parking sensors

Bluetooth connectivity & Steering wheel controls

Cruise control

Cerato S with AV

Everything in the S and/or:

Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto

Rear view camera

7” LCD touch screen

Equaliser function

Cerato Sport

Everything in the S with AV and/or:

17” Alloy wheels

Satellite navigation

Aero blade wipers

Premium steering wheel and shift knob

Dusk-sensing automatic headlights

Rear Spoiler

Cerato Sport+

Everything in the Sport and/or:

Leather appointed seats

Driver’s seat lumbar support

Paddle shifters

Cooling glovebox

Smart key with push button start

Electrochromatic rear view mirror (auto dimming)

Cerato Si

Everything in the S and/or:

Blind spot detection & lane change assist

Rear cross traffic alert

Smart key with push button start

Leather appointed seats

Rear air vents

16” Alloy wheels

Cerato SLi

Everything in the Si and/or:

Lane departure warning system

Forward collision warning system

LED daytime running light

Powered Sunroof

Paddle shifters

Ventilated driver’s seat & front seat warmers

17” Alloy wheels

Kia Cerato Price

Prices for both the Cerato hatch and sedan models start around the $20,000 mark for the S version. The Sports and Sports+ models are about $2-3,000 more, while the top of the range SLi vehicles will set you back about $32,000.

Kia Soul

The Kia Soul is a small car done differently. The Kia Soul opts for a more square design instead of Kia’s famous curves and lines. Kia says this car has more room and comfort than you’d expect from a small car, without forgoing standards of safety and technology. The Kia Soul is filled to capacity with driving technology, including steering wheel controls, centre touchscreen and Bluetooth connectivity. It also packs a 2.0L petrol Engine with 113kW of power – which is more powerful than the Kia Picanto or Rio. Kia Soul

Kia Soul key features

Bluetooth connectivity

Automatic headlights

USB + AUX inputs

Vehicle stability management

Rear view camera

Rear parking sensors

Cruise control

Steering wheel controls

Kia Soul price

A Kia Soul off the showroom floor will set you back at least $25,000, depending on your location and any extras.

Kia Optima

The Kia Optima is a medium sized car available as a standard Si model or a sportier GT turbo. Both Optima vehicles are standouts in their own right, with a sleek design, loads of technology and high-tech caging and safety chassis. However, the GT is truly a cut above the rest. It has a panoramic sunroof, 10-speaker surround sound, wireless phone charging, blind spot detection, autonomous emergency breaking and plenty more. Not to mention of course, the Optima GT has a powerful 2.0l turbocharged engine with 180 kW of power. The Kia Optima is the car for anyone who’s looking to make a statement.

Kia Optima key features

Si

rear view camera

autonomous emergency breaking

lane departure warning system

LED daytime running lights

Paddle Shifters

Satellite navigation

17” Alloy wheels

GT

Blind spot detection

Lane change assist

Rear cross traffic alert

Sports tubular leather appointed seats

Panoramic sunroof

Ventilated & heated front seats

Wireless phone charging

10 speaker surround sound

Smart boot auto release

18” Alloy wheels

Kia Optima price

Cars this nice don’t come cheap. The standard Kia Optima Si starts around $38,000. The Optima GT will set you near the $50,000 mark.

Kia Sportage

The Kia Sportage is a sporty SUV with a modern design, plenty of space and great handling. The Kia Sportage’s convenient size and all-round practicality makes it a popular vehicle with families. Drivers can also rest assured they’re safe behind the wheel of a Sportage thanks to its extensive use of advanced high strength steel caging and reinforced chassis.

There are four models of Kia Sportage, the Si, Si Premium, SLi and GT. Once again the Si is the bare-basics vehicle, with each subsequent model adding more features and class. The GT is also a lot more visually striking with Ice Cube LED fog lights, Bi-xenon headlamps and a panoramic sunroof.

Kia Sportage key features

Si

Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto

Rear view camera

Reverse parking sensor

Premium steering wheel & shift knob

2nd row air vents

Cruise control

17” Alloy wheels

Si Premium

Everything in the Si and/or:

LED daytime running light

Satellite navigation

Front parking sensors

Dual-zone climate control air-conditioning

Rain sensing wipers

Electrochromatic rear view mirror (auto dimming)

18” Alloy Wheels

SLi

Everything in the Si Premium and/or:

Smart key with push button start

Leather appointed seats

10-way drivers power adjustable seat

LED rear combination lights

Privacy glass

2” colour touchscreen

GT

Intelligent Parking Assist System

Hands-free smart power tailgate

Autonomous Emergency Braking

Blind Spot Detection

Lane Change Assist

Rear Cross Traffic Alert

Wireless phone charging

Panoramic sunroof

Heated & ventilated front seats

19” Alloy wheels

Kia Sportage price

Kia Sportage prices begin around $32,000 for a petrol version Sportage Si. The diesel model is an additional $6,000. The SI Premium will set you back about $35,000. The SLi costs between $38,000 and $44,000, depending on fuel type. Finally, the Sportage GT costs between $47,000 and $51,000, again depending on whether you pick the petrol or diesel engine.

Kia Sorento

Kia says its latest Sorento is the manufacture’s most intelligent and family-driven SUV yet. It claims the Sorento is designed with the finest attention to detail, sporting a bold, adventure seeking stance while providing unrivalled space and comfort. The Kia Sorento is not a rugged off-roader, but it’s certainly built to handle Australia’s outback roads. The Sorento packs a choice of 3.5L V6 petrol or 2.2L turbocharged diesel engine. It also comes in either diesel or petrol, 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The Sorento doesn’t skimp on safety either, with Driver attention Alerts and Autonomous Emergency Braking as standard. The four models of Kia Sorento are Si, Sport, SLi and GT.

Kia Sorento key features

Si

LED daytime running light

Satellite navigation

Rear view camera

Autonomous emergency brakes with forward collision warning system

Driver attention alert

Sport

Everything in the Si and/or:

Drive mode selection: Comfort Eco, Sport, Smart

Leather appointed seats

18” Alloy wheels

Advanced smart cruise control

DAB+ digital radio

Front & rear parking sensors with dash display

SLi

Everything in the Si and/or:

Hands-free smart power tailgate

10 Speaker premium surround sound

Smart key with push button start

8-way power driver’s seat

LED rear combination lights

GT

Everything in the SLi and/or:

Blind spot detection

Rear cross traffic alert

Dynamic bending headlights

360° camera view

Ventilated and heated front seats

LED front headlights with auto-levelling

Panoramic sunroof

19” Alloy wheels

Kia Sorento Price

The cheapest Kia Sorento you can buy brand new is the Sorento Si 3.5L Petrol Automatic starting around $47,000. The 2.2L turbo charged models are around $3,000 more expensive on average. The price of a new Sorento Sport is in the vicinity of $50,000; The SLi, about $53,000 and the GT, $64,000.

Kia Rondo

The Kia Rondo is built for families, with room for five or seven. It has plenty of seats and the back two rows can be folded down to create huge boot space. There are also plenty of hidden compartments for hassle-free storage. Design wise, the Kia Rondo looks rather standard, but makes up for it with an ergonomic interior that you mightn’t expect from such a family–focused vehicle. As a family car, safety is a priority for the Kia Rondo. It has six airbags and an ANCAP 5-star safety rating, so you can rest assured your precious cargo is safe. There are only two models of Kia Rondo: The S and Si.

Kia Rondo key features

S

Rear view camera

Reverse parking sensors

Front & rear fog lights

5 seats with split fold flat 2nd row seats

Cruise control

2nd row air vents

Si

Everything in the S and/or:

Satellite navigation

7” LCD colour touchscreen

7 seats with split fold flat 3rd row seats

2nd row walk-in device

Premium steering wheel & shift knob

16” Alloy wheels

Electric folding outside mirrors with automatic folding function

Kia Rondo price

The Kia Rondo S costs around $30,000 while the Si will cost about $35,000. Prices depend on extras and location.

Kia Carnival

Kia proudly boasts the Kia Carnival as ‘Australia’s best family wagon’ after taking out a slew of awards in 2016. The Kia Carnival can hold up to 8 passengers, without compromising on the style and safety that’s made Kia such a recognised household name. The Kia Carnival actually looks more like a personal limo than a family van, showing off a long, sleek design and power sliding doors on select models. The Kia Carnival comes with either a 3.3L petrol engine or a 2.2L Diesel engine.

There are four models of Kia Carnival: S, Si, SLi and Platinum. While there’s some degree of variation between the first three models, the Kia Carnival Platinum is in a league of its own. Among other things, the Platinum model has a 360 degree camera, lane-departure warnings, blind spot detection and a forward collision warning system.

Kia Carnival key features

S

Rear view camera

Rear parking sensors

3 USB charging ports

3 12v power outlets

2nd and 3rd row air vents

Conversation mirror

Si

Everything in the Si and/or:

Satellite navigation

8” colour LCD touchscreen

LED rear combination lamps

Tri-zone climate control air-conditioning

Front fog lamps

Electric folding outside mirrors with auto fold

17” Alloy wheels

Privacy glass

SLi

Power Sliding doors and hands-free smart power tailgate

Leather appointed seats

Front parking sensors

Cooling glovebox

Smart key with push button start

Electrochromatic rear view mirror (auto dimming)

Premium steering wheel and shift knob

18” Alloy wheels

Platinum

360° camera view

Ventilated and heated front seats

Autonomous Emergency brake

Forward Collision Warning System

Blind spot detection

Lane change assist

Rear cross traffic alert

Lane departure warning system

8 way power driver’s seat with 4-way lumbar support

19” Alloy wheels

Kia Carnival price

Like all people-movers, the Kia Carnival is one of priciest in the Kia range. Prices start around $45,000 for the S model 3.3L petrol automatic Carnival. The Si costs around $50,000, the SLi, about $54,000, and finally, the Platinum will set you back about $63,000. Diesel versions of these cars will cost an extra $3,000.

Kia Stinger

The Kia Stinger is Kia’s performance vehicle, exuding power, style and luxury. The Stinger packs a monstrous Twin-Turbo V6 engine with 272kW of power, capable of 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds. While it’s not the most practical vehicle, it’s not meant to be. The Stinger is designed purely for the enjoyment of driving. Its athletic design is sure to turn heads wherever you go, with alloy wheels, quad exhaust pipes, dark-chrome side mirrors and LED headlights. A look on the inside is even more impressive, with a coloured windscreen HUD, wireless phone charger, powered sun roof a premium surround sound system.

But with great power comes great safety standards, and the Stinger certainly delivers on that. Select models come with autonomous emergency breaking, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot detection to name just a few features.

There are six models of Kia Stinger: 200S, 200Si, GT-Line, 330S, 330Si and GT

Kia Stinger price

For a sports vehicle of this quality, the price of the Kia Stinger is rather reasonable. Prices start at $50,000 for the 200S. The 200Si costs $57,000, the GT-Line is about $60,000. The 330S is in the vicinity of $55,000 while the 330Si costs between $60,000 and $62,000. Topping off the list is the GT which will set you back $65,000.

So there you have it, everything Kia Australia has on offer. To see what fellow Aussies think about this iconic manufacturer, be sure to check out Canstar Blue’s customer satisfaction awards.

About the author of this page

This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Content Projects Lead, Dean Heckscher. He’s our resident expert on all things automotive, health & fitness, streaming and more. Dean is also one of Canstar Blue’s customer research report producers, helping to turn complicated subjects into easily-digestible information for our readers. He’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services.

To our knowledge, all information in articles on the Canstar Blue website was correct at the time of publication. This information may have changed over time. Refer to the product fact sheet (or relevant similar documentation) before making any purchase decision. Canstar Blue's website terms and conditions apply.